Sunset Public Hearing Questions for Doe Mountain Recreation Authority Created by Section 11-25-103, Tennessee Code Annotated- (Sunset Termination June 2020) Enabling Statute, Purpose, and Rules and Regulations 1. Provide a brief introduction to the authority, including information about its purpose, statutory duties, staff, and administrative attachment. Response: The Doe Mountain Recreation Authority (DMRA) was established to conserve the land, waters and wildlife on Doe Mountain. Toward that end, a Master Plan was adopted to foster economic development for the People of Tennessee by developing and operating a multi-use, family oriented outdoor recreational area on some 8,600 acres now commonly referred to as the “Doe Mountain Recreation Area.” In accordance with the Master Plan for Doe Mountain, most of the development to date has been creation of a multi-use Trail System, complemented by trails exclusively dedicated to hiking, biking, horseback and motorcycle (dirt bike) riding. The overwhelming majority of users come to Doe Mountain to operate Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility vehicles (UTVs or “side by side” machines) and dirt bikes. As of today, DMRA has successfully opened and operated more than sixty (60) miles of recreational trails and has secured funding to further expand the trail system. As contemplated by statute, the Authority hired an Executive Director in February 2017. The Executive Director is the only full-time employee of DMRA, with current annual compensation of $45,000. A part- time employee, limited to 29 hours or less of work each week assists the Executive Director with all facets of operating Doe Mountain. The part-time assistant is currently compensated at the rate of $9.50 per hour. A second part-time staff position was eliminated in operational budgeting cuts in FY 2018-19. To temporarily fill that void, a part-time administrative assistant working under a First Tennessee Human Resources Agency Senior Employment grant has been assisting the Authority since April 2019. By statute, the DMRA is governed by a fifteen (15) member Board of Directors, including four (4) officers. DMRA is not administratively attached to any other State agency. 2. Has the authority promulgated rules and regulations? If yes, please cite the reference. Response: Yes, Chapter 0485-01-01-.07 Authority Organization 3. Provide a list of current members of the authority. For each member, please indicate who appointed the member, statutory member representation, the beginning and end of the member’s term, and whether the member is serving a consecutive term. 1 Response: The current members of the Board of Directors are: Dan Reese – Chair of Board of Directors -- Member appointed by the Governor, who shall have a background in conservation, serving a term of three (3) years, as required by Section 11-25- 106(a)(9), Tennessee Code Annotated. Mr. Reese’s current term began on November 6, 2018 and ends on September 30, 2021. Mr. Reese is serving a consecutive term on the Board. Frank Arnold – Member appointed by the County Mayor from a list of three (3) submitted by the Board of Directors of the county’s Chamber of Commerce, serving a term of two (2) years, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Mr. Arnold’s current term ends on September 30, 2020. Mr. Arnold is serving a consecutive term on the Board. Michael Farmer – Member appointed by the Speaker of the Senate in consultation with the Member of the Senate representing the majority of the county’s population, serving a term of two (2) years, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Mr. Farmer’s current term began on July 1, 2018 and ends on September 30, 2020. Mr. Farmer is serving a consecutive term on the Board. Jerry Grindstaff – Member elected by majority vote of the governing body of the county, serving a term of two (2) years, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Mr. Grindstaff’s current term began on November 6, 2018 and ends on September 30, 2020. Mr. Grindstaff is serving a consecutive term on the Board. Carolyn Wilson Hawkins – Member of the public at large, appointed by the Governor, who is a resident of the county or an adjoining county and not otherwise affiliated with specific groups, serving a term of three (3) years, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Ms. Hawkins’ current term began on November 8, 2018 and ends on September 30, 2021. Ms. Hawkins is serving a consecutive term on the Board. Kristy Herman – Member appointed by the County Mayor, who is a resident of the county and active in a locally organized conservation or outdoor recreation organization, serving a term of two (2) years, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Ms. Herman’s current term began on October 31, 2018 and ends on September 30, 2020. Ms. Herman is serving her first term on the Board. Don Hurst – Member serving as proxy for the Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, as required by Section 11-25-106(a)(4), Tennessee Code Annotated. Anne Marshall – serving as proxy for the Commissioner of the Department of Environment and Conservation, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Dave Jones – serving as proxy for the Commissioner of the Department of Tourism Development, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Gabrielle Lynch – Appointed by the Governor from a list of three (3) names submitted by The Nature Conservancy, serving a term of three (3) years, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Ms. Lynch’s current term began on November 6, 2018 and ends on September 30, 2021. Ms. Lynch is serving a consecutive term on the Board. Kevin Parsons – Mayor of Mountain City, Mayor of the largest municipality within the county, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. 2 Ron Ramsey -- Member appointed by the Governor, who shall have experience in outdoor recreation planning, marketing or operations, serving a term of three (3) years, as required by Section 11- 25-106(a)(10), Tennessee Code Annotated. Mr. Ramsey’s current term began on January 14, 2019 and ends on September 30, 2021. Mr. Ramsey is serving his first term on the Board. Captain Tim Sain – serving as proxy for the Director of the Wildlife Resources Agency, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Ray Stout – Member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives in consultation with the Member of the House of Representatives representing the majority of the county’s population, serving a term of two (2) years, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. Mr. Stout’s current term ends on September 30, 2020. Mr. Stout is serving a consecutive term on the Board. Mike Taylor – County Mayor, as required by Section 11-25-106(a), Tennessee Code Annotated. 4. Are there any vacancies on the authority? If so, please indicate how long the position has been vacant and explain steps that have been taken to fill any vacancies. Response: No, there are no current vacancies on the Board. 5. How many times did the authority meet in Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019? How many members were present at each meeting? Please note meetings where the authority did not have a quorum. Response: The Authority’s Board met six (6) times during FY 2018: August 1, 2017: 14 members present; October 3, 2017: 12 members present; December 5, 2017: 7 members present – Did not have a quorum; February 6, 2018: 8 members present; April 3, 2018: There is not an attendance roster nor minutes from this Board Meeting. At the time, the Authority was using Kelly Services to provide a recorder and minutes. The recorder assigned to this meeting breached the contract with DMRA and never produced meeting minutes, despite multiple attempts by DMRA to obtain minutes; and June 5, 2018: 11 members present. The Board met six (6) times during FY 2019: 3 August 7, 2018: 12 members present; September 11, 2018: 9 members present; November 6, 2018: 10 members present; January 6, 2019: 9 members present; March 5, 2019: 9 members present; and May 7, 2019: 10 members present. Financial Information 6. What were the authority’s revenues and expenditure for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019? Does the authority carry a fund balance? If yes, please provide additional relevant information regarding the fund balance. Response: For FY 2018, the Authority’s revenues were $176,914 and expenditures were $185,101. Auditing for FY 2019 has been in progress since August 5, 2019, but is not complete. Mid-audit, the Authority believes revenues were $269,660 and expenditures were $258,585, with a fund balance of $106,508 at the end of FY 2019, subject to further examination and verification. 7. What per diem or travel reimbursements do authority members receive? How much was paid to authority members in Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019? Response: None. Section 2.6 of the Bylaws of the Doe Mountain Recreation Authority states: “Members of the Board shall serve without compensation, except reimbursement for actual traveling expenses and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties, such expenses to be reimbursed from such funds as may be available to the Authority. All reimbursement for travel expenses shall be in accordance with the provisions of the comprehensive travel regulations as promulgated by the Department of Finances and Administration and approved by the Tennessee Attorney and Reporter.” No per diem or travel reimbursements were requested or paid to Members in Fiscal Years 2018 and/or 2019.